Safety device for high-angle guns



Jan. 22, 1924.

. 1,481,263 B. P. JOYCE SAFETY DEVICE FOR HIGH ANGLE GUNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26. 19,23

Jan. 22, 1924. I 7 1,481,263

B. .P. JOYCE SAFETY DEVICE FOR HIGH ANGLE GUNS Filed Oct.. 26 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES BRYAN P. JOYCE, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR HIGH-ANGLE GUNS.

Application filed October 26, 1923.

Serial No. 670,967.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L, 625.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRYAN P. JoYon, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented an Improvement in Safety Devices for High-Angle Guns, of which the following is a specification.

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any of its officers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without paymentto me of any royalty thereon, in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

The subject matter of the present invention is a safety device for high angle guns.

In certain types of large caliber guns it is necessary to move the gun after each round from its elevated or firing position to an approximately horizontal position for loading These guns, then, are provided with the usual elevating mechanism to which the gun cradle is locked during firing and in addition with means for moving the gun rapidly to and from its elevated position to a position for loading. According to this invention the usual catch or look by means of which the gun cradle is locked to the elevating mechanism is utilized for operating a device which will prevent premature actuation of the firing means in the unlocked position of the gun.

The primary object of my invention, then, is the provision of a catch or lock so arranged as to release the mechanism that actuates the firing apparatus after the gun cradle has been locked to the elevating mechanism while inversely it will lock the firing apparatus by the mere fact of the gun being in the unlocked position. I

A further object is the provision of a locking means so arranged as to automatically stop the gun when the same has been returned from loading to elevated position.

A still further object is the provision of a locking means so arranged that it will automatically return the catch or lock to locking position immediatelyupon the return of the gun cradle to its elevated position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view through the elevating shaft;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation, with parts broken away, of the left side of the upper gun carriage;

Fig. 3 is a detail showing in side elevation of one form of locking handle;

Fig. 42 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view somewhat enlarged of the locking pawl and plunger;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the locking pawl;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the right side of the upper gun carriage;

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of a modified form of locking handle;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 10 is a detail showing in plan the outer end of the locking shaft.

' Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference;

I have shown at 5 a gun mounted on the usual cradle 6 which is trunnioned as at 7 on the brackets 8 attached to the upper gun carriage 9.

The gun may be elevated by means of any suitable elevating mechanism which, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, includes an elevating shaft 10 supported in a housing 11 fastened to the top carriage 9 and provided with elevating pinions 12 which mesh with rockers 13 and 14: mounted on the cradle trunnions. The elevating pinions 12 are keyed to the shaft 10 at. a common point, as at 15, in order that the torque may be equal.

A casing 16 is attached to the upper gun the actuating means for the elevating mechanism which in the preferred embodiment of my invention, includes a worm wheel 17 meshing with a worm 18 which is fixed adjacent one end of a shaft 19 jour- I carriage at one side of the same and houses naled in the housing 16 and on which is keyed adjacent its other end a gear 20 which meshes with a gear 21 fixed on shaft 22 which is journaled at one end in the housing 16 and is secured adjacent to its other end to the upper carriage 9 by means of a bracket 23. A hand wheel 24 is attached to the shaft 22 and acts through the intermediation of the gears 21 and 20, the worm 18 and worm wheel 17 to rotate the shaft 10 and through the shaft 10 to move the pinions 1:2 which elevate the rockers 13 and 14 thus elevating the gun.

For moving the gun to and from its ele vated position to loading position any suitable mechanism may be employed. In the preferred embodiment of my invention this mechanism includes a rack 25 (Fig. 7) fastened to a bracket 26 which is secured to the right hand side of the gun cradle. Meshing with this rack 25 is a pinion 27 fastened on a shaft 28 mounted in a housing 29 secured to the rocker 14. A gear 30 is fixed to the shaft 28 and meshes with a. second gear 31secured to a shaft 32 which is also enclosed within the housing-29 and to the inner end of which is attached a crank 33. Movement of the crank 33 through the intermediation of the gears 31 and 30, the pinion 27 and the rack 25 moves the gun to and from its elevated to its loading position.

In its elevated position the gun must be securely locked to the elevating mechanism. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. As shown the cradle is locked to the gun in firing by a pawl 34 movable into and out of a recess 35 formed in the rocker 14.

I make use of this locking means as a safety device to prevent actuation of the firing means in the unlocked position of the gun. This use is accomplished in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The pawl 34 is keyed to a shaft 36 journaled in the bracket 26 fastened to the gun cradle and in bearings 37 and 38 formed in a bracket 39 also attached to the cradle. At its outer end the shaft 36- is formed with a slotted opening 40 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The gun is provided with the usual firing mechanism. As shown this comprises a hammer 41 pivotally mounted on the breech block and provided with an extension 42 which normally retains the hammer in inoperative position, shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The opening 40 in the shaft 36 is so located in the locked position of the pawl 34 as to permit sweep of the firinlg hammer through said opening but when the shaft 36 is rocked to unlock the gun from the elevating mechanism to depress the gun for loading the shaft 36 is so positioned as toprevent movement of the firing hammer and thereby absolutely prevents actuation of the firing means in the unlocked position of the gun.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for rocking the locking shaft. this includes a handle 43 formed with a sleeve 4-4 which surrounds the shaft at an intermediate point. The sleeve 44 is pro vided with a lug 45.

In the form of my invention shown in the Figs. 3 and 4, the lug 45 is adapted to en gage in one of two similar recesses 46 formed in the bearing 38 of the bracket 39. This form of my invention includes a compression spring 47 mounted concentric with the shaft 36 and interposed between the bearing 37 and the sleeve 44. This compression spring acts to normally maintain the lug 45 within either of the recesses 46 thus securely locking the shaft in either the locked or unlocked positions of the pawl 34.

While the compression spring 47 has been found to give complete satisfaction in practice, I have found it preferable at times to use a torsion spring 48 such as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Such a spring will perform all the functions of the compression spring 47 and in addition will act as a means for antomatically returning the pawl 34 to its locked position when the gun has been returned to its elevated position as will be described hereinafter.

In the modification shown, the spring 48 surrounds the shaft 36 and is interposed between the bearing 37 and the sleeve 44 and is fastened at one end to the bearing 37 and at the other end to the sleeve. In this embodiment of my invention the bearing 38 need only be provided with one recess 46.

Suitable openings 49 are formed in the bracket 39 for attaching the same to the gun cradle.

A plunger 50 (Fig. 5) provided with a lug 51 movable in a bayonet slot formed in the pawl 34 serves to prevent any movement of the pawl until the gun has been re turned to its elevated position; This plunger 50 is reciprocable in a socket 53 formed in the bracket 26 and is provided with a reduced outer end 54 which passes freely through an opening 55 formed in a nut 56 screw threaded or otherwise secured in the outer end of the socket 53.

The plunger 50 is adapted to cooperate with a lug 57 formed on the inner side of the rocker 14 to stop the gun when the same has been returned to its elevated position.

A compression spring 58 is seated in the inner end of the socket 53 and servesto maintain the plunger lug 51 at all times in proper engagement with the walls of the bayonet slot formed in the pawl 34 while the nut 56 acts to limit movement of the plunger in its socket.

The operation of my device is as follows:

As shown and unlocked positions of the pawl.

- With the gun in elevated position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 it is necessary to depress to reload after firing. This is done by unlocking the tipping parts from the rocker 14; then by turning the crank 33 through the intermediation of the gears and 31, the pinion 27 and the rack 25 the gun may be depressed.

When the pawl 34 is moved from the slot 35 in the rocker 14 to unlock the tipping parts by rotation of the shaft 36, the lug 51 of the plunger is free to move longitudinally in the slot 52 in the pawl and as the tipping parts are depressed withdrawal of the outer end of the plunger from contact with the lug 57 on the rocker 14 permits the spring 58 to move the lug 51 in the slot 52 to lock the pawl and the shaft 36 in unlocked position and thus preventing firing until the tipping parts are again locked to the elevating mechanism.

With the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the locking handle 43 and the compression spring 47 serve as an auxiliary means for retaining the shaft and the pawl mounted thereon in both locked With this form when the gun is returned to elevated position the plunger 50 contacts with the lug 57 on the rocker 14 and is moved against the pressure of the spring 58 inwardly in its socket. During this movement of the plunger the plunger lug 51 is moved to the inner limit of the bayonet slot 52 in the pawl 34. The handle 43 may then be rotated to return the pawl to locking position. The lug 45 on the handle 43 sea-tingin the recesses 46 formed in the bracket 39 serves as a. means for maintaining the pawl in either locked or unlocked positions against accidental displacement.

With the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 when the gun is returned to its elevated position and the plunger lug 51 has been moved to the inner limit of its longitudinal movement in the bayonet slot 52 in the pawl, the torsion spring 48 acts automatically to return the pawl to its locking position.

With a structure such as is described premature firing of the gun or firing of the gun in any position save at its proper elevation is absolutely prevented. In a device such as described the means locking the gun to the elevating mechanism serves automatically as a means for controlling the movement of the firing mechanism. Moreover, an additional locking means is provided which absolutely prevents movement of the shaft or the locking means mounted thereon until the gun has been returned to its elevated position. This last named means, moreover, performs the two-fold function of a lock and a stop, stopping the gun automatically when it has been returned to its elevated position and at the same time releasing the primary locking means so as to permit relocking of the gun to the elevating mechanism.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 9 even that most improbable of errors, failure on the part of the proper member of the gun crew to relock the gun to the cradle in the elevated position is obvia-ted, for in this modification the primary locking means is returned to locking position automatically when the gun has been returned to its elevated position.

While the plunger 50, alone, cooperating with the lug 57 will suffice to stop the gun at its proper elevated position if desired, a stop 59 (Fig. 2) may be attached to the cradle to cooperate with the rocker 13 and a stop 60 may be formed on the bracket 26 (Fig. 7) to cooperate with the rocker 14 to assist the plunger in preventing movement of the gun beyond the proper elevated position thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving said gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a. position for load ing, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism provided with a recess, said pawl member being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock said gun to the elevating member, said shaft formed with an aperture, said shaft in locking position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of said firing means, said pawl formed with a bayonet slot, a spring pressed plunger reciprocable in the cradle, a lug on the plunger movable in the bayonet slot, a lug on the elevating member, manual means for rotating the shaft, said plunger normally preventing movement of the shaft in unlocked position thereof, said plunger cooperating with the lug on the elevating memher to automatically stop the gun cradle when the cradle has been returned to elevated position, means on the shaft normally tending toreturn the pawl to locking position, said plunger preventing rotation of the shaft when the pawl is in unlocked position.

2. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on said shaft, one member of the elevating mechanism being provided with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to said elevating memher, said shaft formed with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl. permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firing means, manual means on the shaft for moving the pawl from locked to unlocked position and means on the shaft normally tending to automatically return the pawl to locked position, said pawl provided with a bayonet slot, means movable in said slot normally preventing movement of the shaft in unlocked position of the pawl, said means cooperating with a lug on the elevating mechanism to stop the gun when it has been returned to elevated posiiion and peri'nitting automatic return of the pawl to locking position.

3. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on said shaft, one member of aid elevating mechanism provided with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to the elevating mechanism, said shaft formed with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firing means, said pawl provided with a bayonet slot and means movable in said slot normally preventing movement of the shaft in locked or unlocked positions of the pawl, said means cooperating with a member on the elevating mechanism to automatically stop the gun when it has been returned to its elevated position.

-l. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an ele vated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism provided with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to the elevating member, said shaft formed with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firing means, said pawl provided with a bayonet slot and means movable in said slot normally preventing movement of the shaft in unlocked position of the pawl.

5. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a. gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of the recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to the elevating member, said shaft provided with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture and said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firing means, manual means for moving the pawl from locked to unlocked position, means for automatically returning the pawl to locked position when the gun cradle is returned to elevated position and a spring catch for holding the pawl in unlocked position.

6. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism provided with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to said elevating member, said shaft formed with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firing means and a spring actuated catch for holdin the pawl in unlocked position.

l. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of the recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to said elevating member, said shaft provided with an aperture, said shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through said aperture, said shaft in unlocked position of the pawl preventing movement of the firin means, manual means for moving the paw from locked to unlocked position and means for automatically returning the pawl to locked position when the gun is returned to elevated position.

-the gun independently of the elevating said shaft mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism being formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to said elevating member, provided with a slot, the slot in the shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through the shaft and the shaft in unlocked position preventing movement of the firing means, a member on the gun cradle cooperating with a member on the elevating mechanism for automatically stopping the gun after it has been returned to its elevated position, means on said cradle normally acting to return the shaft to locking position, said stop member acting to prevent movement of the locking member until the cradle is brought to elevated position, said stop member permitting automatic movement of the shaft to release the firing means and bring the pawl member into locking position when the gun has been'returned to its elevated position. V

, 9. The combination with a gun cradle pro vided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading,'a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member ofsaid elevating mechanism being formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on rotation of the shaft to lock the gun to said elevating member, said shaft formed with a slot, the slot in the shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through the shaft and the shaft in unlocked position preventing movement of the firing means, and means on the gun cradle cooperating with a member on the elevating mechanism for automatically stopping said gun when it' is returned to its elevated position. said means preventing movement of the locking member until the cradle is brought to elevated posi tion.

10. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving said gun to an ele vated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl member fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism being formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on rotation of the shaft to lock saidgun to elevating member, said shaft formed with a slot, the slot in the shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through the shaft and the shaft in unlocked position preventing movement of the firing means, means for automatically rocking the shaft to release the firing means and bring the pawl member into locking position with respect to the elevating mechanism when the gun has been returned to its elevated position.

11. The combination with a gun cradle provided with agun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the'gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft on the gun, a pawl mem ber fast on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism being formed with a recess, said pawl being movable into and out of the recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun to elevating member, said shaft formed with a slot, the slot in the shaft in locked position of the pawl permitting free movement of the firing means through the shaft and the shaft in unlocked position preventing movement of the firing means and means for preventing rocking of the locking member until the cradle is returned to its elevated position.

12. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an ele vated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, a rocking shaft 011 the gun, a pawl member on the shaft, one member of said elevating mechanism being formed with a recess said pawl being movable into and out of said recess on movement of the shaft to lock the gun with respect to the elevating mechanism, said shaft formed with a slot, said shaft in unlocked position of' the pawl preventing actuation ofthe firing means and the slot in the shaft in locked position of said pawl being positioned so as to permit free movement of the firing means through the shaft in actuation of the'firing means.

13. The combination with a gun cradle provided with agun having firing means, of

mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for loading, one'member of said elevating mechanism provided with a recess, a locking member on the gun movable into and out of the recess, a member connected to said lock ing member so as to move therewith, adapted to prevent movement of the firing means in unlocked position of the locking member, said last named member formed with a slot through which the firing means is free to pass when the locking member is in operative position.

14. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism to and from a position for load ing, one member of said elevating mechanism provided with a recess, a locking member on the gun movable into and out of said recess and means on said locking member acting to prevent movement of the firing mechanism when the locking member is in unlocked position.

15. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, a member For locking the gun to said elevating mechanism, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism when the gun is unlocked from the elevating mechanism, means on said locking member for preventing actuation of the firing mechanism with the gun in unlocked position, means, co-op erating with a member on said elevating mechanism for automatically stopping the gun when it has returned to elevated position and means normally tending to return the locking member to locking position, said stop means preventing return of the locking member to locked position until the gun has been returned to its elevated position, said stop means permitting the locking member to automatically return to locked position when the gun has been returned to its elevated position.

16. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, a member for locking the gun to said elevating mechanism, means for moving the gun independently of said elevating mechanism when the gun is unlocked from said elevating mechanism, means on the locking member for pre-. venting actuation of the firing mechanism of the gun in unlocked position, means normallv tending to automatically return the locking member to locking position, means preventing the locking member from returning to locked position until the gun has been returned to elevated position, said last named means cooperating with a member of the elevating mechanism to permit automatic return of the locking member to locking position when the gun has been returned to elevated position.

1 ,481 ass 17. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firmg means, of mechanism for movmg the gun to an elevated position for firing, a member for locking the gun to said elevating mechanism, means for moving the gun independe'ntly of the elevating mechanism when the gun is unlocked from the elevating mechanism, means on the locking member for nism, means on the locking member for preventing actuation of the firing mechanism of the gun in unlocked position and means on the locking member cooperating with a member on the elevating mechanism for automatically stopping said gun when it has returned to elevated position, said stop means retaining the means preventing the actuation of the firing mechanism in operative position until the gun has been brought to elevated position.

19. The combination with a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of mechanism for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, a member for locking the gun to said elevating mechanism, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating mechanism for loading when the gun is unlocked from the ele vating mechanism, means connected to said locking member adapted to prevent actuation of the firing means in unlocked position of the gun, and means connected to the locking member adapted to cooperate with a member on the elevating mechanism to automatically stop movement of the gun when the gun is returned to elevated position.

20. The combination of a gun cradle provided with a gun having firing means, of means for moving the gun to an elevated position for firing, means for moving the gun independently of the elevating means to and from a position for loading and cooperating members on the gun and elevating means for stopping the gun when it has been returned from its loaded to itselevated position, means connected to one of said stop members adapted to prevent firing of the gun except when the gun is in its elevated position.

BRYAN P. JOYCE. 

